Robin Singh's role as UAE’s director of cricket has come to an end.
Mudassar Nazar will take temporary charge of the national team for their next assignment.
Singh, the former India all-rounder who was appointed in February 2020, has overseen a miserable run of form that has jeopardised the future of the game here.
The national team will depart for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off in Namibia later this week.
Because of their poor recent results, much is riding on the competition. There are two places on offer at the six-team event for the global World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in June.
Perhaps of greater significance is the need to safeguard one-day international status, which carries with it significant ICC funding as well as the guarantee of high-quality cricket for the next four years.
UAE need to finish in the top two out of a group of four that also includes Papua New Guinea, Canada and Jersey to maintain the right to play ODI cricket.
When the squad to tour Windhoek was announced on Tuesday morning, no quotes were attributed to the coach in the official press release, as is customary.
Singh was also missing from the side’s rain-affected practice match at The Sevens on the same day.
The ECB later said that Singh's stint has ended and Nazar, the former Pakistan all-rounder, will take over the reins for the tournament in Namibia. The board will start the hiring process for a new coach in the coming days.
The reason for Singh’s absence was initially unclear. Since his appointment, he had held an agreement with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) to maintain his role as part of the Mumbai Indians coaching staff.
The Qualifier play-off is set to clash with the start of the Indian Premier League. However, rather than be excused to attend that event, the ECB have opted to discontinue Singh’s tenure altogether, after his contract ended.
It is understood his long association with the IPL franchise was part of the motivation for appointing him in the first instance.
ECB were in the throes of setting up the International League T20 at the time, and Mumbai entered a team into the UAE’s new competition. Singh was the head coach of the MI Emirates for the inaugural season of the ILT20, earlier this year.
ECB also saw value in the possibility of Singh helping UAE players get experience of the IPL. A number trained with IPL teams when that competition was displaced to the Emirates by Covid, with fast bowler Zahoor Khan, in particular, impressing Mumbai.
However, his extended absences at the IPL have long been a source of frustration for many in the UAE cricket community. A number of observers argued the role of director of cricket here deserves full-time commitment, rather than periods of coaching via Zoom.
Initially, after taking over a young national side that was showing great promise under the captaincy of Ahmed Raza, results remained strong.
A year ago, UAE cricket enjoyed one of its finest moments as they sealed qualification for the T20 World Cup in Australia in fine style at a tournament in Muscat.
That competition was sealed by a fifth win in a row against Ireland, which is an unprecedented run of success by an Associate side against a Test-playing nation.
Progress has been stunted in the time since, though. The team have been through three captains – Raza, CP Rizwan, and Muhammad Waseem, the latest incumbent – since August, and results have been adverse.
Although UAE picked up its first win at a T20 World Cup in the competition it Geelong, the side failed to advance beyond the first round.
Since last summer, the national team have played 27 games in the two limited-overs formats, and lost 20 of them.
The run has been characterised by performances in which the batters have appeared asphyxiated by a fear of failure.
During a period of 10 ODIs from November 16 to last week, they passed 200 just once. That run included scores of 71 – UAE’s lowest ever ODI total – 97, and 95-9.
The side’s morale was rock bottom, and they appeared increasingly unresponsive to his input. Tellingly, when UAE had Nepal 45-3 at the first drinks break in a crucial game in Kathmandu last week, they all had to decamp to the boundary rope to listen to the coach’s views. From then on, Nepal proceeded to make 248, before UAE were bowled out for 71.
Coincidentally, the man who Singh replaced in the role a little over three years ago was present in his absence at The Sevens on Tuesday.
Dougie Brown, the previous UAE coach, now runs the Rajasthan Royals Academy, which is based at the multi-sports facility on Al Ain Road.
Whether ECB will consider returning to Brown, who is resident in Dubai, as a long-term replacement for Singh, or look for someone new, remains to be seen.
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Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
More coverage from the Future Forum
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
FIXTURES
Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)
Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)
Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Coal Black Mornings
Brett Anderson
Little Brown Book Group
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'
